whitehead



WHITEHEAD.

NDOW SHADE.

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

No. 394,235. Patented Deb. 11, 1888.

444mg? WM (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. W. WHITEHEAD.

WINDOW SHADE.

No. 394,235. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

WWI Lassa N PETERS. Phulo-Lnlmgraphcr. wm-" m", 0, c.

8 avwemtoz UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

\VILLIAM \V. IVHITEHEAD, 0F NEIV YORK, N. Y.

WINDOW-SHADE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,235, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed March 5, 1883 $erial No. 266,126. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, WILLIAM W. WHITE- HEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vindow-Qhades; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompai'lying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in window-shades; and it consists of the pccu-;

lar combination of devices and novel construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a device or fixture for completely lowering an attached window shade from the top of a window in order that a free circulation of air can be secured and greater volume of light admitted to the apartment through the upper part of the window, while at the same time the shade itself can be wound or unwound at will on the roller to conceal the apartment from view through the lower sash of the win dow.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation showing the shade lowered from the top of the window. Fig. is a like view of a modification, showing the horizontal stationary bar about midway of the jamb and the movable bar, the shade-roller carried by said movable bar, and the lazy-tongs arranged above the stationary bar.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a horizontal stationary bar or rod, which is fixed in the upper part of the window-jamb, and A is a similar bar or rod, which is arranged parallel with the fixed rod A, but is capable of vertical movement in the wil'idow-jamb, the movable horizontal bar A being held parallel with the fixed bar A and sustained at any desired elevation by a series of crossed slats or bars, B C, which are pivotally connected together and to the horizontal bars to form lazy-tongs, as clearly shown. On each of the horizontal rods or bars is loosely fitted apair of sleeves, D D, to which are pivotally connected the free extremities of the slats or bars B (1, instead of connecting said slats directly to the rods or bars themselves, and these sleeves are capable of sliding freely on said bars as the lazy-tongs are extended or closed to insure easy and certain movement to the tongs in lowering or raising the vertically-movable bar or rod A, which is thereby held or maintained in a position parallel with the fixed bar A at all times.

E is a shade of any preferred pattern, preferably of the class known as spring-roller shades, which is carried by the verticallymovable bar A, and the roller c of the shade is journaled or supported in suitable fixtures,

" e, which are rigidly fastened to the movable bar A at the ends thereof. The shade can be raised or lowered at will whether the lazytongs be closed or extended.

To readily and easily lower and raise the movable bar and the shade carried thereby, I provide an operating-cord, I which is secured at one end to a central fixture,f, on the movable bar, and the cord then passes overa central guide-pulley, G, mounted in the upper part of the jamb, mid way between the sides thereof, and thence over another pulley, H, at one side of the jamb, from whence it depends within convenient reach from the floor.

To provide for holding the movable bar and its attached shade, the cord is gripped by the pulley II, which is of the class known as a wedge or catch pulley; but I do not desire to confine myself to any particular meth 0d of fastening the cord, as I am aware that it can be accomplished in numerous ways.

\Yhen it is desired to ventilate the apartment or to admit a greater volume of light thereto through the upper sash of the window, it is only necessary to loosen the operating-cord, when the movable bar and its attached shade will lower by gravity and extend the lazy-ton gs in the manner shown in Fig. 1, the sleeves sliding freely on the fixed and movable bars as the lazy-tongs are extended, and thus hold the movable bar and shade in horizontal positions.

The upper window can be readily lowered, if desired, to admit air to the apartment, and the shade on the lower movable bar can be unwound from the roller thereof to conceal 1o shades.

the apartment from view, as is obvious. To raise the shade and movable bar to the top of the window again, it is only necessary to draw upon the operating cord, which causes the 5 lazy-tongs to collapse and fold compactly to- I 5 desired elevation, between the jambs and arrange the lazy-tongs and movable bar over the fixed bar, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In this position the lazy-tongs will be normally extended instead of closed, and the shade will conceal the tongs from view, the operatingcord being arranged for service in the same manner.

I am aware that changes and modifications in the details of construction and form and proportion of parts can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

I am aware that prior to my invention a curtain has been suspended from the top of 0 a window-jamb and provided with transverse slats to which are pivotally connected short links, which are also connected with a system of lazy-tongs, which tongs are centrally suspended from the top of the window-jamb and 3 5 provided with a toothed bar for holding the tongs in their adjusted positions, whereby a series of folds is made in the curtain when the tongs are elevated.

I am also aware that vertical guide-rods 0 have been provided at the sides of awindowframe, on which slide bearingplates that carry a vertically-movable shade-roller,which is elevated or lowered by suitable cords that wind around the roller at the top of the win- 4 5 dow.

I am also aware that endless cords have been provided at the sides of a window,which are passed over suitable rollers or sheaves at the top and bottom of the window, and these cords have bearing-plates affixed thereto, in

which are journaled a shade-roller.

I am also aware of English Patent N 0. 15,450 of 1885, which shows a mirror adapted to be suspended in a vertical position at any desired distance from the wall by means of a system of lazy-tongs, to each end of which lazy-tongs a pair of sliding sleeves is 0011- nected, the sleeves at one end being fitted 011 a fixed vertical bar fitted in a stationary bracket, and the sleeves at the other end being likewise fitted on a horizontally-1novable vertical bar, which carries the mirror at its lower end.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a stationary horizontal bar, another bar parallel therewith and capable of vertical movement toward and from the same, a shade-roller carried by said vertically-movable bar, lazy-tongs intermediate the fixed and vertically-movable bars and connected thereto for normally sustaining the vertically-movable bar and the shade-roller in a position having their transverse axis in the same vertical plane as the axis of the stationary bar, and a cord connected to the movable bar and passing over suitable guide-sheaves, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a stationary horizontal bar, another bar parallel therewith and capable of vertical movement toward and from the same, a shade-roller carried by said vertically-movable bar, lazy-tongs intermediate the fixed and vertically-movable bars and having sliding connections therewith, and an operating-cord connected to the movable bar, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth. v

3. The combination of the horizontal fixed and movable bars, sleeves fitted on said bars to slide lengthwise thereof, a shade carried by the movable bar and adapted to be coiled and uncoiled independently of anyadjustmentof said bar, and lazy-tongs pivotally connected to the sliding sleeves on the bars, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of a stationary bar, a vertically-movable bar having the shade-fixtures secured thereto, a spring-roller shade journaled in said fixtures and adapted to be coiled and un coiled independently of any adjustment of the movable bar, sliding sleeves fitted 011 the stationary and movable bars to slide lengthwise thereof, lazy-tongs pivotally connected to the sliding sleeves only, and an operating-cord connected to the movable bar and passing through suitable guide-sleeves, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. WHITEHEAD.

'lVitnesses:

JOHN 0. KING, RoBT. SMITH. 

